


Wrath and Redemption

by Kahleniel



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Modern AU, Nephilim, Pierced!Eren, Pierced!Levi, Piercings, Religious Theme, Shapeshifting, Tattooed!Eren, Tattooed!Levi, Tattoos, angel!Eren, demon!Levi, tw: needles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-30 03:11:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6406357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kahleniel/pseuds/Kahleniel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi is tired of seeing the mistakes of his followers, The Grigori, continue to wreak havoc on the human world. In Hell, he's known as Azazel, but he hasn't answered to that name for at least a thousand years. Raphael, the Angel who imprisoned him for his sins, has finally realized he's broken out of his prison. He's adopted the human name Eren, and is determined to see him back where he belongs. </p><p>Of course, in the human world, nothing ever goes precisely to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shittyfoureyes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shittyfoureyes/gifts).



> In honor of Eren's birthday today, I decided to go ahead and post the beginning of my first ereri work ever. I hope you like it!
> 
> Also, this work is dedicated to ShittyFourEyes, who helped me come up with the idea. You should check them out - excellent author!

Levi leaned back against the corrugated metal of the closed shop barricade and inspected a nail. He was beyond tired of waiting for Farlan to show up for their appointment. _If I’d known he’d be running this late I’d have made him call the artist to reschedule._ Farlan had finally decided to bite the bullet and get his first tattoo. He’d told Levi over drinks the week prior that he was finally ready, having been inspired by the multitude almost completely covering the skin over Levi’s arms, chest, and back. Levi had almost choked on his drink in shock – Farlan was scared of needles more than anything else in this world.

“Do you even know what you want?”

Farlan paused for a moment, looking to the side as he thought. “Hmmm, well, I’ve always admired your wings. What do you think about me getting something similar?”

“Ohhhh no, no, I don’t think you want those.”

“Why? Are they some cult thing?” Levi frowned at Farlan.

“NO. They’re just…well, wing symbols can be unlucky for some people.” Boy, was _that_ excuse pulled right from his ass. In truth, his wings were a magical two-dimensional representation of his true wings while he was in human form. Two black wings, folded and crossed over, were etched on his back, covering most of his shoulder blades and coming to a stop at the very bottom of his lower back. In his true form, his demon form, his midnight-blue wings stretched almost six feet across, longer than he was tall. Most mistook their color to be black, but in direct light they shone like oil, the dark blue bursting forth from underneath. He was very proud of his wings, and took excellent care of his pride and joy. They had given him a kind of freedom soared across the city sky at night, no longer restricted by human perception and required to stay in his human form.

“Earth to Levi! Man, you’re distracted tonight. What’s gotten into you?”

“Hm? Oh, nothing. It’s been a long day.”

Farlan looked at him closely, but decided not to push the issue. “Will you go with me when I go to meet with the artist? There’s this new guy that I want to go to. He’s new at the shop but he’s been tattooing for several years now. I asked the parlor’s owner about him and she was enthusiastic about recommending him when I called.”

“And you want me to tag along to check him out and get my opinion, I take it.” It wasn’t a question. He’d been expecting this since Farlan brought up the tattoo. “When are you meeting with him?”

“The day after tomorrow, in the afternoon. Are you free?”

The raven-haired man shrugged nonchalantly. “I can be.” In fact, Levi could be free whenever he damned well pleased. It was almost saddening how quickly he could charm his way into or out of any situation he liked, especially with humans like his boss. _Well, it was that charm that got me in trouble in the first place._ He mentally chastised himself, then looked at Farlan. “Besides shitty wings, what other ideas do you have? Remember, this is going to be permanent. Try to pick something that isn’t going to look like shit when you’re seventy.”

Farlan rolled his eyes, used to Levi by now. He pulled out his phone and flicked through the images until he came to one, then flipped his phone around and showed it to Levi. “What about this?” The image was of a man’s shoulder with an abstract tribal design. Instead of a large amount of black ink, the design appeared almost reversed, with the negative space making up the design and the normally blank area filled in with scroll-work. It appeared almost Celtic in nature, and Levi immediately nodded. “Not bad. You may have some sensitivity near your collarbone, but shoulder tats don’t normally hurt too much. Good place for a first one.”

The ash blonde man broke into a smile. “It’s settled, then. My appointment is at 4:30pm. I’ll text you the address once I get home. Thanks for this. I’m already nervous as hell.”

Levi signaled the waitress for their bill. “Don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand and wipe your tears, you big baby.”

Farlan punched him in the shoulder. “Hey! Just for that you can pay for my drink.”

_______

_Damnit, Farlan, where the hell are you? We’re supposed to be there in fifteen minutes._ Levi hated running late. Punctuality was second only to cleanliness in his life, and a lack of either generally pissed him off. He dropped his perfectly manicured hand to his pocket and retrieved his phone from his jeans pocket. _It’s four seventeen. He was supposed to meet me outside the parlor here at ten past four._ He quickly unlocked his phone and dialed Farlan’s number. Only a second or two after he pressed send he could hear the other man’s distinctive ringtone from down the street. He turned around and ended the call, catching the sight of ash blonde hair coming towards him.  

“About fucking time.” Levi grumbled to himself and shoved his irritation down. He wasn’t the one about to face his worst fears in a couple of minutes; he could afford to cut the guy a bit of slack. Not much though.

Farlan stopped short, panting slightly from exertion. “Thanks for waiting. Finding parking around here is a nightmare.” Levi nodded. It was why he preferred public transportation. He didn’t have to worry about parking a car, having it stolen, and then having to hunt down the thieves and end their lives. It was less complicated all around.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be, I guess.”

They climbed the short flight of stairs to the entrance of the tattoo parlor and stood at the cherry wood reception desk. A petite strawberry blonde with several piercings and a half-sleeve greeted the pair. “Welcome to Rosewall Tattoos. I’m Petra, the owner. What can I do for you today?”

Farlan stepped around Levi and cleared his throat. “Hi, I’m Farlan Church. I have a 4:30 appointment with Eren Yeager?”

Petra’s eyes brightened, and her smile widened. “Of course! Have a seat. Eren’s with a client at the moment, but he should be finishing up shortly. Can I get you two anything to drink? Coffee? Tea?”

Farlan answered for both of them. “I’ll have water, and he’ll have tea, Earl Grey if you have it, with two sugars.” Petra nodded and went into the back to prepare the drinks. Levi’s not-so-secret vice was a perfectly brewed cup of tea, especially if it was Earl Grey. Farlan was well aware of how it improved his mood and was banking on it doing so now, especially after he was so clearly grumpy at Farlan for being late.

Levi nodded in response and looked around the parlor’s client area as he sat in the surprisingly comfortable leather chairs. The parlor was very clean, with hardwood floors and forest green walls. The display cases exhibiting the different types of jewelry and piercings were lined up along one wall with not a single fingerprint to be seen. Even the tops of the cases were dusted. _Impressive_.

The artwork on the walls hung in simple black frames, but it was clear where four new displays had been recently added. Levi stood up to take a closer look at these. _These must be that guy Eren’s._ The artwork in the frames was grouped by style. In the first frame several classic ‘Sailor Jerry’ style tattoos of half naked women, hearts with banners and swallows, and whaling ships hung. The centerpiece was of a highly detailed whaling ship and clouds surrounded with a rope border, flanked by two rippling American flags and the bottom portion of an anchor. The second display held tribal motifs. Abstract blackwork designs bordered several stylized animal pieces. The three most prominent were of a wolf, a dragon, and interestingly enough, a butterfly. The third held Asian-themed designs. Koi from different angles intertwined with sakura and peony blossoms shared space with geishas and onis. All the art was extraordinary, but the fourth frame held designs that the artist clearly excelled at. Multicolored abstract designs and watercolor scenes almost covered the space in front of Levi.

His favorite was of a Chinese dragon with rainbow scales looping around and through a cherry blossom branch, with a peacock displaying mating colors in the background. The amount of detail, shading, and colors was mind-blowing, and Levi found himself leaning closer to soak up all the details in the sketch.

He didn’t realize that the artist Farlan was waiting on had finished with his client until he heard a new voice in the room.

“Hi. I’m Eren. Which one of you is Farlan?”

He turned around to see who had spoken. It was a lucky thing that Farlan answered, because Levi’s capacity for speech had entirely failed him. Before him stood a young man with short messy chocolate-brown hair and tanned skin covered with various designs in both whitework and vibrant colors. Levi could see a lotus flower covering his Adam’s apple and base of his throat with white filigree extending around the sides. Two full sleeve tattoos extended down the man’s shoulders to his wrists, completely covering the skin with scenes of waterfalls, fish, sunsets, and palm trees. More tattoos on the man’s chest were hinted at, bits extending up and around from the white sleeveless shirt. Levi was sure there were more on the man’s back and waist, but he couldn’t tell. His eyes traveled down the man’s body to where his cargo shorts stopped, more tattoos on display on his calves. One was of a geisha in full traditional dress with a paper parasol on her shoulder, and another was of a tiger, teeth and claws extended in a snarl as it curled around the well built muscle.

Levi brought his gaze back up to the man’s face and noticed several piercings in his ears. Two three-quarter inch black gauges with what appeared to be a tri-lobed yin-yang style symbol stretched each earlobe, three helix rings in the right ear, and an industrial next to a cartilage piercing in the left glinted in the overhead light. Levi was so transfixed by the artwork and piercings he almost didn’t look at the man’s eyes. _Sinful mother in Hell_ . He’d never seen a color like that in all the time he’d spent on Earth. His eyes were a shade of teal, but the longer he looked the less he was able to actually name the color. _Aquamarine? No, too light. Peacock blue doesn’t quite cut it either. They’re like the ocean, but only in certain areas, like Hawaii or maybe Bora Bora._ He didn’t realize he’d been caught until he saw one eye close briefly. _Did he just wink at me?_ Levi blinked rapidly and coughed, mortified that he’d been caught staring so blatantly. The artist – Eren, he remembered – just smiled and turned back to Farlan.

Levi wanted to sink into the earth. No human had ever caught his attention like that, and to be caught staring like a love-struck teenager was beyond embarrassing. He’d never missed the ability to travel to the demon realm so much in his long life as he did right then. Farlan glanced over his shoulder at Levi with a knowing smirk. Levi’s pale skin did nothing to hide a blush, and right now he had one that extended all the way to the tips of his own heavily pierced ears. He hastily picked up a magazine from the coffee table and sat down, pretending to pay attention to it as he listened in on the conversation. _God, his voice is honey and sin and…familiar somehow. Fuck my life, this is so unfair. Fuck Farlan and his fucking tattoo right now._ He was trying not to imagine how Eren’s voice would sound as he was moaning and writhing underneath Levi’s skillful fingers, passion and need dripping in equal measures as his voice cracked and – _Ok, I do NOT need to pop a boner in the middle of the damned reception area. Christ on a crutch I need to calm down._ He grabbed the remains of Farlan’s water and gulped it down, changing his suddenly one-track mind onto thoughts that didn’t involve finding out the rest of the artist’s tattoos. _Broccoli. Baseball. Margaret Thatcher naked. Uh…cleaning insects from Farlan’s windshield. Boogers._ The last thought did it, his pants finally fitting looser than they had in the last several minutes. Neither of the other men seemed to have noticed his distress, which he was everlastingly thankful for. Their conversation about design prices and appointment lengths carried on for several more minutes as Farlan showed Eren where he wanted the tattoo placed and the changes he wanted to make to the original design to make it uniquely his own. Eren popped back into his room to sketch what he and Farlan had discussed, and Farlan walked over to sit down next to Levi.

“So, what do you think?”

Levi spluttered. “About what?”

“Holy shit I’ve never seen you caught off guard. Are you ok? Ocean Eyes over there having an effect on you?” Farlan couldn’t resist ribbing him about his obvious interest in the tattoo artist.

“Shut up. So, what did he say? Is he going to do it?”

Farlan laughed. “Yeah, he said it wouldn’t be a problem to put it on my shoulder. He suggested a couple of design changes and went to sketch them. He should be back in a minute. He says it shouldn’t be more than two-fifty for the whole tattoo, which is pretty good, I think.” Levi agreed. It was actually more than fair, considering the size and intricacy of some of the design aspects.

Eren returned a couple of moments later, sketchpad in hand. “Here’s what I came up with. Let me know what you think. I can adjust anything if you need it.” He sat down next to Farlan in the chair to his left, and leaned over to show him the design. Levi succeeded at nonchalantly looking at the sketch instead of the object of his newfound infatuation, and was impressed. The new design incorporated a much more defined Celtic element, with shading outlining the intricate knots instead of plain black. Several triskeles and lover’s-knots were interwoven with rectangular knot work more commonly seen in Celtic designs. The design was complicated, but not so much that the lines would eventually bleed into each other and turn into a mass of black and grey. It was beautifully done, and would look perfect on Farlan’s shoulder.

The blonde man agreed. “I love it! How long do you think it will take, all told?”

“I would book out at least three hours. No, make it four, since it's your first one. That will give us more than enough time so you don’t have to worry about taking a break or two if you need it.”

Farlan nodded. “Ok, let’s do this then.” The two men walked over to the receptionist’s desk and pored over the appointment book. Eren scribbled the time and date on an appointment card and handed it over. Levi stood up to leave, giving Eren one more once-over while he wasn’t looking, then made for the door.

“See you all next week. I’m looking forward to it.” Eren waved at the two of them as they left the parlor.

As they walked down the street, Farlan handed something to Levi. “Here. He said this is for you.” Levi looked at the card in his hand, then turned it over. On the back, printed in careful block handwriting, was a number and Eren’s name with the words ‘text me’ written underneath.

Levi couldn’t help the blush that spread to his ears, nor the half-smile that wouldn’t quite stay under control as Farlan grinned at him.


	2. Chapter 2

Levi turned the deadbolts in the front door and made sure his shades were drawn before he started to disrobe. Once he was completely naked and the clothes were hung on the back of a chair he stretched languidly, letting out a groan as he shifted into his demonic form. His midnight-blue raven’s wings sprang forth from his back, extending their full wingspan, and matching horns grew from his temples. Unlike most demons, he displayed a double set of horns in his demonic form. The top set curved back from his temple towards the back of his head, then twisted upward near the crown to end in a tapered point. Their color faded from the midnight blue at the base to a light blue at the very tip. The second, smaller set began about a half inch below the first and was a solid dark blue to match. His teeth elongated and sharpened, the canines ending in vicious points. Finally, his black serpentine tail extended from his lower back and talons grew from the tips of his fingers and toes to complete his transformation. His tail twitched as he examined his claws. Satisfied they passed muster, he padded to the couch and sat down, folding his wings flush against his back so that he wouldn’t accidentally crush them.

His cat, Lucifer, hopped up on the side of the couch and nuzzled his shoulder for affection. Levi reached over and gently scratched under the cat’s chin with the tips of his claws. It never failed to amaze him how his demon form could send humans scrambling for their lives, but this little feline didn’t give two shits.  _ In fact, I think he prefers me like this.  _ He picked up the black cat in his arms and nuzzled its belly, then carried it over to where it’s food bowl lay waiting to be filled. Setting Lucifer down, he scooped dry cat food into the bowl, then filled the water bowl with fresh water for good measure. After patting it a couple of more times, he padded back to his clothing to retrieve the appointment card with the tattoo artist’s phone number on it.

_ Eren. Eren Yeager. He of the gorgeous eyes and the lack of any idea about who he’s given his number to. _ Levi chuckled to himself, half of a mind to throw the number in the wastebasket for the human’s own good, but the memory of those beautiful Caribbean Ocean-colored eyes stopped him. It had been a long,  _ long _ time since anyone had managed to make him blush, and he’d done it twice in one day because of this man. He brushed the rings in his ears while he thought about the piercings in Eren’s, and wondered briefly if he had space for more. The earrings were one of the things that didn’t change when he shifted form, his tattoos being the other. He wore three rings in his left ear lobe, with a double industrial piercing at the top. On his right he had two helixes, and auricle stud, and two rings in the lobe. He’d been considering getting a daith piercing in his right ear for a while.  _ Maybe I’ll see if Ocean Eyes can do it for me. _ He wanted snakebites as well, but the last time he had a lip piercing it kept catching on his canine when he shifted forms. He had ended up removing it after a sudden shift had almost torn it out of his skin. He was a fan of pain, but not  _ that _ particular pain.

Making his decision, he grabbed his cell phone and saved Eren’s number. He was half tempted to save it under Ocean Eyes, but if Farlan ever borrowed his phone and saw that he’d never hear the end of it.  _ I’ll text him in a day or two, just to play it cool. Hades forbid I look too eager.  _ He flipped his phone gently onto the side table and stretched again. He could see the glow from the street lamps peeking through the sides of the window shades and realized it was starting to get dark outside. He loved this time of year. Soon enough it would start to get dark around four in the afternoon and he would have almost a solid twelve hours to hunt while in his true form without being seen by humans. It had been several days since he’d last hunted and he was starting to get hungry. Human food would sustain him, and some of it was even quite tasty, but nothing compared to the flesh and blood of his own kind.

Levi extended his perception as far out as he could to feel for any demonic auras within his hunting grounds. He hadn’t expected to sense anything, but sure enough, he felt a warm tingle on the edge of his awareness somewhere to the west. He grimaced.  _ Nephilim.  _ He slid on a tank top and a pair of black track pants especially made to accommodate his tail –  _ I’d rather look like I was homeless than a pervert if some human sees me _ – and locked his apartment door behind him before flying into the night in search of his prey.

It only took an hour or so of searching to locate the Nephilim. The hard part was actually getting close enough to capture him. Levi tracked the part-demon, part-human creature to a bar on the corner of 104 th and Rosewall, only five or six blocks down from the tattoo parlor. In his haste to capture his prey he neglected to realize that the sensation had originated in a more commercial area of town. He was forced to settle in for a long wait perched on top of the bar’s roof before he could single out the Nephilim from the crowd and pounce. 

The bar’s patrons started thinning out around 11pm. He felt rather than heard the Nephilim leave. When the Nephilim, a man of about fifty or fifty five years, cut into a dark alley to shorten his walk home, Levi made his move. He dropped down from the rooftops where he’d been shadowing the man, landing softly behind him. Levi inhaled, making sure the man in front of him carried the distinctive scent of the Nephilim before he decided the man’s fate. Sure enough, this was the same one he’d sensed earlier.

“Hey.” The man turned sharply at hearing Levi’s voice.

“W-who are you?”

“I’m the last person you’ll ever see; my name is inconsequential.”

Before the Nephilim could scream Levi flung him against the side of the building. The man’s head cracked against the wall, stunning him senseless. The demon crouched over the semiconscious Nephilim’s mouth as if to kiss him, then breathed in. A translucent shimmering vapor rose from the man’s mouth – the part of him that was Nephilim. Levi harvested the demonic essence from the hybrids and gathered it into himself, leaving only the human essence behind. Sometimes they died, sometimes they lived. It depended on how much of the being was demonic as to what became of them after Levi had made their acquaintance. He was more concerned about righting a balance that he and his kind upset millennia ago than about the fate of a single abomination.

It looked like this one wouldn’t make it. He’d been more than half demon, a byproduct of more than one demon or Nephilim breeding into his family tree, most likely. Levi riffled through the dying human’s wallet – for that’s what he essentially was after the demonic essence was removed – and took the cash inside. The man wasn’t going to need it or anything else after the next few minutes. He left all the identification for the paramedics then crouched next to the man. He watched as the man’s chest rose once, twice, and then stilled. No matter how he tried to steel himself the moment of death was still a heavy one for him.

“Requiescat en pace.” He covered the man’s eyes with his hand, making sure the lids were closed, then spread his wings and took flight.

A pair of bright golden eyes on a nearby rooftop followed the demon as he flew away into the night. A low hum of satisfaction emanated from the being. “I’ve finally found you, Azazel.”


	3. Chapter 3

Levi woke the next morning to someone pounding on his door. His demonic features melted back into his human form, wings tucking into his back and melting into the tattoo as his teeth lost their resemblance to knives, tail shrinking back into his skin and nails losing their talon-like shapes. He drew on a pair of grey sweatpants over his naked form as he stomped to the front door.  _ It’s only Farlan and Isabel _ , checking the peephole to see who disturbed him so early. Levi swiped a palm down his face to banish any remaining sleepiness and flipped the locks to let them in. He walked silently to the kitchen to start the kettle and ran his now-human hand through his undercut to straighten out his hair.

Farlan and Isabel had known Levi for years and were used to his morning silent treatments. He wasn’t a morning person at the best of times, and it was clear they’d woken him up from what little sleep he managed to get.

“We brought breakfast!” Isabel giggled as she saw Levi’s head jerk up from where he’d been standing against the kitchen counter, muscled arms folded over an equally sculpted chest, as he waited for the water to finish boiling.

“Oh? Anything good?”

Farlan opened the brown paper bag and tossed a yellow-wrapped breakfast sandwich to Levi. He caught it with uncanny grace and nodded his thanks. “Very well. I’ll let you two live a little longer.” He unwrapped the sandwich and tore a chunk out of it with his fingers. Isabel rolled her eyes.

“One of these days you’re going to eat like a normal person, Levi. What’s wrong with just biting into it?” She bit into her own sandwich with relish and grinned at the raven-haired man, melted cheese smeared on her cheeks as she chewed.

“That. That is the problem. Are you eating it or wearing it? Pick one.” He tossed the roll of paper towels at Isabel so she could wipe her face. Farlan shook his head and finished his own breakfast without comment. The last time he tried to step in between the two of them he’d gotten apple pie down his shirt and neither of them had spoken to him for three days. Over a goldfish, of all things.

After cleaning up the leftover garbage from their breakfast run, Levi poured each of them a cup of tea and brought them over to the sofa. Farlan and Isabel shifted over, making room for him as he set the mugs down carefully onto coasters.  

“What do you two have planned for today?”

“Isabel wanted to go shopping since we have a rare day off together, then maybe grab lunch and a movie. You want to come along?” They both knew of his distaste of crowds and shopping, and weren’t surprised when Levi’s face scrunched up in faint disgust at the prospect of spending an entire day doing just that.

“I’ll pass. I need to make some phone calls today anyway, and maybe run a couple of errands. Thanks for the invitation, though.” Isabel opened her mouth to protest, but the look she received from Levi changed her mind. Instead, she pouted and stuck her tongue out at him. The raven-haired man nudged her with his shoulder, and she broke into a grin. “Maybe some other time, ok? I promise.”

Isabel threw her arms around Levi. “Hooray! I’ve missed you, Big Bro. It feels like we never get to see you anymore.” Levi winced as he returned her hug. Chasing down Nephilim all over the city while keeping up a plausible human façade had left him little time for anything else besides quick showers and restless sleep. Blaming it on overtime at work only stretched so far.

“We’ll do dinner next week, just the three of us. My treat.”  _ I can take a day off of hunting half-breeds down for my favorite humans. _

“Really? See Farlan, he  _ does _ love us!” She squeezed Levi’s ribs even harder.

“Oi. Enough with the guilt trip or I’ll change my mind.” All three of them knew it was an empty threat. Isabel was the only human who could wrap Levi around her little finger. That she did the same with Farlan made it only slightly less embarrassing.

Farlan stood up. “Izzy, we’d better get a move on if we’re going to make that movie. It was good to see you again Levi. We still on for Thursday?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? You’d better not chicken out at the last minute.” Levi walked them both to the door, holding it open as they shrugged on their jackets.

“No way. I’m definitely going through with this.”

Levi nodded. “Thursday afternoon it is, then.“ He hugged Isabel one final time and waved at them both as he shut the door. He checked the time on his phone before dialing a number.  _ It’s past eleven. Mike should be in his studio by now. _

A sleepy baritone voice answered on the third ring. “Sina Ink, Mike speaking. Oh, hey Levi. Didn’t see the Caller ID.”

“No problem. When’s your next free appointment?”

Rustling papers could be heard in the background. “Hm, I’ve got time this afternoon at two, or on Monday morning at nine.” Normally Mike was booked up for weeks in advance, but he’d always make time for his favorite demonic customer.

“This afternoon works for me. Thanks for fitting me in on such late notice.”

Mike stretched and yawned. “It’s not an inconvenience for my favorite customer. Are we adding to your chest design, or is it your shoulder?” Levi had several almost completed tattoos, each worked in a specific manner and all of them different from the others.

“Chest this time. Aramaic script. I’ll show you the lettering when I get there. Do you still have enough Hellvine and Angel’s Tears from last time?”

“Yeah. I may need another order soon, but I have more than enough for today.”

“All right. See you at two then.”

“See you.”

Levi ended the call and sighed. Lucifer padded over to his owner and rubbed his whiskers against Levi’s calf in a bid for attention. He picked the black cat up and scratched his head. “Looks like I’d better get ready for the day, eh?” He stood in the same spot for a minute or two, enjoying listening to Lucifer purr as he scratched the back of his head and at the base of his tail. The cat’s purring reminded him of home, when he was a nestling with his other demon kin. There was nothing so comforting as being curled up within a clutch of others like himself, bundled together for warmth and comfort in the back of a lair. The raven-haired demon sighed at his memories and put the cat down to get ready to leave.  _ Maybe I’ll have that again, one day. _


	4. Chapter 4

Mike’s studio was only a short walk from Levi’s apartment. Instead of renting a separate space in the city he had converted his basement into a fully furnished tattoo parlor. It was private and discreet, two things Levi appreciated. Most of Mike’s customers tended to err on the side of the supernatural, and being able to shift into his non-human form was a requirement for these particular tattoos to stay permanent.

Levi shifted forms as he descended the staircase into the basement studio, greeting Mike with a small wave.

“Hey, Azazel.” The raven-haired demon stopped short at the greeting and scowled at the tall blond.

“Fucking hell, I told you not to call me that in this realm.” He continued down the last couple of steps and stood with his arms crossed as he watched the tattooist prepare the inks.

“Sorry, sorry. Levi. Sometimes it’s difficult to remember. Spend a few thousand years greeting a Prince of Darkness by his title, and one day he asks you to greet you by a human name...it takes some getting used to.”

Levi waved his hand dismissively as he took his shirt off and sat in the chair. “Forget it. Just try to remember for next time. You never know who’s paying attention to things they shouldn’t be.” Mike nodded, turning back to his mixture.

Levi watched closely as the blond took several vials from a safe in the corner of the studio and unstoppered them. Filling a disposable dropper he added three drops of a viscous dark red liquid to a small plastic cup, then used another to add five of a pale gold substance. As the additives swirled together Levi could smell both brimstone and rain-washed fields. It was a jarring combination, and he never could get used to it no matter how many times Mike inked his sins onto his flesh.  _ Angel’s Tears to carve the sin, Hellbane to sink it in. _ His demon flesh would react to the purity in the Angel’s Tears, marking the name of the Nephilim who he had consumed the night before. Hellbane would make sure that his body didn’t reject the intrusion outright and heal it by pushing the ink out of his skin. After the name was added to all the others, Mike would mix another batch of Hellbane with black tattoo ink and trace over it, hiding the marks underneath a fresh layer of ink and obscuring the names to anyone who didn’t know where to look.

Mike used a mask to filter the noisomeness of the mixture from his sensitive nose as he looked for the best place to add the new ink. Levi had several tattoos in addition to the wings on his back. Down his left arm a grayscale pattern of hexagons flowed, quarter-sized dark as pitch shapes on his shoulder to small light grey shapes nearest his wrist. Underneath each design multiple names in Sumerian script shimmered. These were his first sins, names of lesser demons he’d devoured as he first fled the demon realm. His second design centered on his left side, spanning most of his ribcage. A black and dark grey panther with golden eyes crawled up and around his obliques, its head near the bottom of his left pectoral, left paw extending up near the thinner skin under his arm. Underneath this design were names written in Hebrew. These were the human sinners he devoured in revenge for breaking their blood oaths to him, oaths made in exchange for learning the arts of war and beautification. His right arm and part of his chest were covered by several three-dimensional aztec designs that masked names in Aramaic, joined together to make a three-quarter sleeve. It was this design that Mike was expanding today. The Nephilim he hunted down were the corrupted offspring of fallen angels and the humans whose names resided under the panther. These angels were collectively known as the Grigori, and it was their mistakes that he was cleansing from the earth. While he had no Nephilim offspring of his own, the Grigori were his followers and he felt responsible for their mistakes even thousands of years later.

The chill of the antiseptic wipe across his chest startled Levi from his reverie. He looked down as Mike passed the razor blade over his smooth skin, removing any invisible hairs that could ruin the tattoo. A second pass of the wipe cleared the space and raised goosebumps on his alabaster skin. He steeled himself for the pain that would inevitably spread through his entire chest, a deep burn from the Angel’s Tears far worse than any regular tattoo. Mike adjusted the speed of the tattoo gun and a loud buzzing sound filled the studio. He leaned the back of the chair to a better angle and bent over Levi to inspect the area to be inked. Nodding in satisfaction, he dipped the needle into the mixture and began inscribing the name of the deceased Nephilim onto Levi’s skin.

Each letter felt as if a thousand angry hornets had descended onto his chest in anger. Levi gritted his teeth and felt his incisors bite into the skin of his lower lip as he kept a whimper from escaping. He prayed that the pain he experienced now would atone for his mistakes every time he added a name, but  _ fuck _ if this didn’t suck just a little bit. He understood why the Benedictine monks suffered through self flagellation but that didn’t mean he was ever going to like it. He looked down to watch Mike paint careful strokes of the ancient script into his skin, the ink shimmering golden before shifting to an angry red as it reacted to his demonic essence, the Hellbane both holding the ink where Mike placed it and preventing it from spreading into his system or being rejected. Once it healed the Angel’s Tears would be trapped harmlessly in place, the dilution with the Hellbane having robbed of its purity just enough to remove its toxicity.  _ Thank the Mother that the guy didn’t have five fucking middle names or something. Robert Joseph Sebastian Clusterfuck the Twenty-Third would have me on my fucking knees. And not in the fun way. _

The Aramaic letters simmered in his skin as they healed. What took a human days to recover from would only take him hours, or even minutes, and he used this to his advantage while waiting for Mike to finish preparing the black ink. Levi shifted his wings to a more comfortable position underneath him as he watched the tattoo heal. It would be hidden under a section of the Mayan calendar-inspired graphic that Mike had designed for him. The design was unique and could be built upon as needed. Once the redness had completely faded Mike began working on the outline of the new section. The normal black ink was mixed with six drops of Hellbane, no Angel’s Tears this time. The Hellbane would hold the black where he wanted it no matter how many times he shifted from demon to human. Normal ink would have dissipated as he shifted, since anything foreign would be rejected by his demon essence. The only exceptions were his piercings. For some reason if it went completely through a part of his body it would stay in place.

The burning sensation eased as Mike put the finishing touches on the addition and removed the excess ink and blood. A faint shimmer of gold could be seen from underneath the black design, but once he shifted back to his human form they would be hidden with the aid of several enchantments. Mike looked at his work and nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Levi for his reaction. He was pleased. Levi stood up and flexed his wings slightly to release a cramp, the flesh on his chest healing rapidly. Mike rose from his chair and peered at Levi’s left ear, frowning slightly.

“How are those enchantments? Do they need to be strengthened?”

Levi thought for a moment, then nodded. “Might as well, since I’m here. I wouldn’t want them to run out in the middle of a hunt.” He tilted his head as Mike removed two of the rings and the bottom scaffold, dropping them in a cup of cleaning solution to soak off the previous incantation. He had to work quickly to get Levi’s piercings sorted, or he ran the risk of the demon’s ears healing up before he could get the enchanted metal back in place. Fortunately, the mixture containing the magic that kept Levi’s demonic essence hidden could be pre-made and would last for at least a week before losing effectiveness. Myrrh, tuberose root, and rain captured at midnight were all items relatively easy to gather or purchase, as well as the first flight feather of a maturing cygnet to mix it with. Mike chanted the incantation three times as he stirred, once in the demonic tongue, once in the angelic, and once in English. Once that was completed he retrieved the jewelry from the cleaning solution and rinsed them with the last of the rainwater, carefully dropping the metal into the solution.

Light strobed from inside the container as the enchantment bonded to the titanium jewelry. Pinks, blues, purples, and yellows created abstract patterns on the walls and ceiling of the studio. Levi thought absently of colorful tattoos scrawled across expanses of tanned skin as the lights faded, then shook himself back into reality before his thoughts could delve into uncomfortable areas.  _ I should text that brat, see if he wants to join me for a drink. That is, if he’s even old enough. _

The lights faded as Mike retrieved the jewelry from the solution, grabbing a pair of forceps and a packet of sterile needles in case he had to repierce any of the holes. It looked like he lucked out this time as all of the holes were still open, albeit closing slowly as he watched. He grabbed the rings and threaded them through to keep the piercings open while he fit the scaffold back in place. Mike quickly grabbed the closing tool and popped the beads on the rings as he’d done many times before for the demon. Satisfied with his work, he handed Levi a mirror for a final approval.

Levi hummed his content, lightly fingering the jewelry. He shifted back into his human form and slid into his shirt, then reached for his wallet. He pulled out the cash stolen from the Nephilim and added several more bills to the pile. “Thanks again for fitting me in on such short notice.”

“Not a problem. See you next time.” Mike began cleaning up the used tools and leftover ink as Levi waved goodbye and ascended the stairs.


	5. Chapter 5

Getting fresh ink always left Levi in a good mood, even though it was excruciating during parts. It left him with a bit of a high that lasted for several days. Looking down at the number in his contacts he decided to use the good mood to bolster his confidence and finally text Eren. He’d waited long enough. By now he wouldn’t appear as eager to talk with the brunet as he felt. The last thing he wanted to do was make a fool of himself.

Levi: Hi. It’s Levi.

He mentally smacked himself.  _ The guy’s probably got a shitload of clients, like he’d remember all their names. _

Levi: I came in with Farlan a couple of days ago to your shop and he gave me your number.

Eren: Heeey. Glad to see you didn't toss it in the trash.

Levi: You expected me to?

Eren: Couldn't tell one way or another so I took a gamble. I’m glad it paid off. ;)

Levi felt his cheeks reddening.  _ Damned brat. How does he do this to me every fucking time? _

Levi: So, I was wondering…

_ Oh Mother, here I go. _

Eren: Yeeees? :D

Levi: Smartass. Anyway, do you want to grab a drink sometime? Assuming you're old enough to drink something other than Shirley Temples, that is.

Eren: LOL I’m 23, but hey, Shirley Temples are delicious! Don't knock the sober driver choice du jour ;)

Levi: Let me know when you're free and where you want to go. Drinks are in me.

Eren: in?

Levi looked at his phone in confusion, then reread what he’d typed.  _ Fuck. _

Levi: ON. Drinks are ON me.

Eren: Prefer something else in you then? ;)

_ Please let the earth swallow me now.  _ He was now both thoroughly embarrassed and somewhat aroused by the turn in the conversation.

Levi: aren't you the cocky one?

Eren: Oh, baby, wouldn't you like to know? ;))

Levi: All right, enough, Brat. I have to still walk home. I don't need any more stares than I'm already getting.

Eren: ok,ok. I’ll be good. Lol you’re so much fun to tease though.

Levi: Anyways…

Eren: I’m free tomorrow evening. You know that bar with the wood paneling and etched glass?

Levi: The Red Rose Tavern?

Eren: That’s the one. How’s seven-thirty sound?

Levi: Sounds good to me. See you then, Brat.

Eren: Later, Sexy.

His eyebrows shot up as the blush on his cheeks deepened.  _ Sexy, huh. _

_ ____ _

He’d never admit it, not even under torture, but Levi was nervous. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt anything other than bored or irritated, and this brat had brought out all kinds of emotions he wasn’t used to. Having caught his attention was rare enough, but nervousness was completely unexpected. Over a  _ human _ , especially. It’s not that he thought less of mortals, it’s that they never really registered on his radar. He was here to hunt Nephilim and correct mistakes. If someone wasn’t a Grigori, an Angel, or a Demon, he really didn’t have much leftover energy to take notice of them. Farlan and Isabel were exceptions to everything, of course.

He sighed as he pushed various shirts in his closet to the left and right. None of them were quite right, not even the favorites.  _ Get a hold of yourself. Fuck, it’s drinks, not your wedding day. _ Levi ran his hands through his hair, then grabbed the first shirt his hand landed on. It was a dark copper long sleeved button down that Isabel had bought it for him a couple of years ago, telling him that it would bring out the blue flecks in his grey eyes. He’d rolled those same eyes when he’d received the gift, but he couldn’t bring himself to get rid of the shirt. Nice gestures had been few and far between during his long life. He slid it on and rolled up the cuffs to just below his elbows, leaving the top two buttons undone, and paired it with dark blue jeans and dark brown Timberland boots. The shirt fit him nicely, tight enough to reveal his form, but not so tight that it was painted on. Same with the jeans. They were his favorite pair, primarily because he personally though his butt looked great in them and he wanted all the advantages he could get. They weren’t skinny jeans, but they clung to his skin enough to show off the muscle in his lower body perfectly when he walked.

Levi checked his reflection one last time, straightening his collar and running his fingers through his dark locks one last time before grabbing his keys and wallet. He headed out the door before he could lose his nerve and bail.

Eren was already sitting in a booth when Levi arrived. He was secretly pleased that not only was Eren on time, he was  _ early. _ He took his time to check out the green eyed tattoo artist before he made his arrival known. The younger man was sipping on something in a rocks glass, letting his eyes roam across the crowd. His gaze never settled on anyone for long, but he didn’t look as nervous as Levi felt. He was sitting back in the booth, one foot draped casually over his knee, an arm slung over the back of the red leather bench. When his eyes settled on Levi, the raven decided it was time to make his entrance.

Eren’s expression visibly brightened when he saw Levi, and rose from his seat when the older man approached. He motioned at the opposite bench and Levi slid in as Eren sat back in his seat. A waitress appeared almost immediately after with a drink for Eren.

“What’ll it be?”

Levi raised an elegant eyebrow at the greeting.  _ At least she isn’t popping bubblegum in my face. _ “Does your bartender know how to make a Sazerac? If not, Jack and Coke is fine.”

“I’ll ask, but if Jean doesn’t know how to make a drink it probably doesn’t exist.” She wrote his drink order down and returned to the bar, presumably to ask Jean-The-Bartender if he could make a proper cocktail. Jean looked up at Levi and smiled, the cocky grin all but dripped ‘watch me”. Setting out both Peychaud’s and Angostura bitters, he proceeded to mix the drink while Levi watched on. He even had a small bottle of proper absinthe on hand, of which he added a couple of drops.

Levi dearly wanted to roll his eyes at the brazen attitude, but he also didn’t want the waitress to spit in his drink. When she returned with his drink in a proper Old-Fashioned glass, the bartender had earned a few points with grey-eyed man, and a few points more when he tasted his drink. This, indeed, was a properly mixed Sazerac cocktail. He hadn’t been able to find a bartender worth the title since he lived in New Orleans several decades back.

He looked over to compliment Eren on his choice of bars when he caught him glaring a hole into the back of the bartender’s head. Levi snorted, which broke Eren from his murderous glare. “Relax. I’m here with you, right? Although, I’m pleased with the location.” He tapped the side of the glass. “It’s been ages since I’ve had a good Sazerac.”

Eren relaxed a bit, settling back into his seat and sipping his own rum and Coke. He grinned at Levi, realizing how foolish he must seem to the other man. “Yeah, that’s Jean for you. A regular asshole, but he knows how to mix the best drinks. I think he actually did spend some time bartending in the French Quarter.”

Levi nodded. It made sense. “I doubt you invited me for drinks to discuss the bartender though.”

Eren’s cheeks flushed, then a cocky grin of his own spread on his mouth, revealing perfect white teeth. “You’re right. I wanted to discuss more about you.”

Levi almost choked on his drink. Even though he’d been the one to change the direction of the conversation, Eren’s forthrightness stunned him. “Ok. What would you like to know?” He expected the usual where-are-you-from-what-do-you-do type of questions, but yet again Eren caught him off guard.

“What do your tattoos mean? How many do you have?”

_ I should have figured that at tattoo artist would be more interested in my ink than my background. _ “I have two full sleeves, a back piece, one on my ribs, and a chest piece that connects to this one here.” He pointed to his right shoulder. “As for meanings...well, I wouldn’t say they had any overt ones, although I’ve always been drawn to geometric designs over something like faces.”  _ It’s what’s under them that gives them their meaning. _ “What about you?”

Eren looked down at himself as if he’d forgotten that he even had tattoos. “Oh, um, some of them have various meanings. Some are designs I’ve come across by other artists that I fell in love with...the designs, not the artists, I mean.” He blushed slightly at this, which Levi found surprisingly adorable. “And some are more, well, personal.” His eyes fell out of focus slightly and Levi changed the subject before the melancholic look could set in on Eren’s handsome face.

“And piercings?”

Eren snapped back into the present. “Oh, yes, I’ve got, let’s see...well, the ones you can see on my ears, the gauges, and both of my nipples are pierced.” Levi’s eyes darkened for a moment. He always found pierced nipples intoxicating, and the image of playing with them and rolling his tongue around them made him draw his tongue along the inside of his bottom lip before he could stop himself.

Eren’s turquoise eyes caught the movement, but he didn’t say anything. He sipped the last of his drink and slid their empty glasses to the side for the waitress to retrieve. “What about you? You’ve got some nice ones on your ears. Any others that your mother wouldn’t want to know about?” His voice had gotten softer and dropped an octave, simultaneously drawing Levi closer and sending a shudder down his spine.  

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Eren leaned forward and skimmed his eyes down Levi’s body, flicking them back up to catch grey eyes with his own and held them. “Maybe I would. Maybe I’d like you to show me.”

_ Oh shit _ . Levi had met his match. Normally his exterior and snark flustered anyone talking to him, and he wielded both as a knight did a sword and shield. Here was someone who not only called him on his dare, but who looked willing to do more than talk a good game. He felt himself harden at the thought of having that iridescent golden skin under him, taking Eren apart bit by bit with his hands and his tongue, sliding his hands down and lifting his thighs and... _ Oh Sinful Mother I want this man so fucking bad I can taste it. _

He pulled himself back from the brink of grabbing Eren’s hand and dragging him back to his apartment when the waitress arrived with another round. Her unwelcome intrusion cleared Levi’s head and he coughed into his fist, flushing red even as he set his features into his normal neutral expression. As Eren turned to thank the waitress Levi noticed that the tips of his ears had turned bright red, as had his cheeks.  _ At least I’m not the only one affected _ , he thought as he noticed Eren trying to shift to a more comfortable position as the waitress set their orders on the table.

“So, are you in the habit of checking every guy you meet for dick piercings?”

Loud peals of laughter rang out from Eren’s mouth before he wiped a tear from his eye. “Oh, I like you Levi. As a matter of fact, no, but you make me interested in finding out.”

“Play your cards right and you might get a chance. However, I like to know more than the name I’ll be screaming from a guy before I take him to bed.” Levi didn’t hide his smirk as he sipped his Sazerac.

“Fair enough. I’m pretty much an open book though. I’ve always liked to travel, and I’ve been fortunate that my work has taken me to all kinds of places. I apprenticed right out of college with a well known artist in New Orleans, stayed there several years, then got to work at several other studios until I moved here.” Eren finished off his rum and Coke and set the glass aside.

“That explains why you’re so good at different styles. Usually an artist sticks with one and focuses on that.”

“Thanks. I love drawing, and each style really brings something to the art. Tattoos have changed so much throughout history you can almost chart civilization’s rise and fall through them. Popular preferences come and go, but they all reflect humanity as much as fashion or lines drawn on a map.”

Levi nodded. “History etched on skin instead of parchment.”

Eren pointed at him, eyes wide. “Exactly! God, it’s so nice to talk with someone who  _ gets _ it. Usually I get eyes rolled at me when I wax poetic about ink.”

“I’m the last person who is going to knock you on that. Your work is amazing. That dragon with the cherry blossoms? That’s art.” He picked up his glass and was surprised when it was empty.  _ Oh, yeah, those cocktails were stronger than I thought if I’m actually telling him this. _

“That one was inspired by my sister. She loves both those things, so of course I had to create something for her. I didn’t want to display it, actually, but she practically bullied me into it saying that art needs to be shared, not hidden away or something.”

“She sounds like a smart lady.”

“Indeed.” Eren raked his eyes over Levi’s tattoos, taking in the way the ink faded down the design on Levi’s left arm, then back up his right, over the Aztec designs and up to where his shirt covered most of the design on his chest. It lingered where the black ink poked out from under the undone buttons of Levi’s shirt, and Levi swore that he saw the pink tip of Eren’s tongue rest in the top corner of his mouth before he moved his gaze back to Levi’s eyes.

The desire from earlier slammed back into Levi with the force of a freight train. He closed his eyes to gather himself, then met Eren’s stare head on.

“Still interested in seeing if I have more piercings than just my ears?”

Eren’s pupils widened, giving him dangerous look that would have brought Levi to his knees if they weren’t in the middle of a crowded bar. “You have no idea.”

They both flipped bills onto the table, more than enough to cover their tab, and left.


	6. Chapter 6

All Levi remembered from the walk home was Eren’s hands on waist, lips and teeth nibbling at his neck, and making out against a wall a couple of times when the crosswalk signal took too long to change. It was dark by then, and few people took the same route that Levi chose. He supposed later that he chose that particular route specifically for its isolation, but at the time he wasn’t doing very much thinking at all.

He barely got his key in the lock before he felt Eren’s hands slide up his chest under his button down as he mouthed at the join of his shoulder and neck. “Mmmm, God I love a smooth chest. I can’t wait to run my tongue over it and trace those designs of yours.”

Between Eren’s voice and the fingers running down his abs, Levi almost snapped the key in half before he got the door open. He grabbed Eren and pulled him through the doorway, kicking the door shut behind them as he dragged him into the living room.

Levi shoved Eren onto his couch and straddled his legs, holding his face between his hands as he kissed and nibbled at Eren’s lips. He licked at the seam and he parted them, breathless and needy with want as Levi twined his tongue with Eren's own. The brunet shoved his hands under Levi’s shirt to touch his skin and pull him closer. As Levi sat back in Eren’s lap, he started undoing his shirt buttons as Eren stripped himself of his own top. As soon as Levi’s chest was bare Eren pulled him close and licked a stripe up the smooth alabaster skin in front of him, swirling his tongue around a nipple before tracing a bit of the design on the raven’s chest.  _ Ohhh fuck. Right over the recently healed part too. _ Levi arched his back as he moaned from the feeling of Eren’s pink tongue sliding over his skin, his fingernails digging red crescents into the other man’s shoulder blades. He shoved Eren’s shoulders back into the sofa and returned the favor, sucking and biting gently at his pierced nipples until he could hear a long moan pour from Eren’s lips.

“Christ, Levi, that feels so good.”

He smirked, piercing still trapped between his teeth, then gave the nipple a final lick as he moved to the other one. Eren threaded his fingers through onyx strands and pushed Levi’s head closer to his chest, all but begging him to suck harder. As he did so Levi palmed the straining erection in Eren’s jeans. It made Eren moan again, then he fisted his hand in Levi’s hair and pulled him back up for another long and thorough kiss, pulling Levi hard against his lap and grinding against him.

Levi swore and twisted in Eren’s lap, laying down on the couch and pulling the brunet on top. His hands slid down Eren’s chest to his belt buckle, undoing it and the jeans enough so he could yank them down as the other man mouthed and sucked at the join of his neck. Eren came up for air and looked at Levi, his hungry gaze containing the question of where Levi was planning to lead them.

Levi shook his head. “No, not that. Not...yet. Just…” He reached down to stroke Eren, who closed his eyes, letting his mouth fall open in harsh pants as Levi slipped his hand under his boxers and worked his hand on Eren’s throbbing cock, squeezing rhythmically as he stroked him. “I want to make you feel good.” Eren nodded, lost in the feeling of Levi’s hand for the moment.

Eren bent down and kissed Levi, as deep as before but less rushed, then grinned wickedly as he reached for Levi’s trousers. He licked and kissed a stripe down Levi’s abs and stomach as he slid down, making him writhe with lust and impatience as he stopped right above his belt. Eren trapped Levi’s gaze with his own, molten steel meeting Caribbean, and unzipped his trousers, pulling both them and Levi’s boxers down and off at the same time. His cock, freed from his jeans, bounced up and slapped his lower stomach. Eren’s mouth went dry as he broke Levi’s gaze to look down. Two sets of barbell piercings glittered in the low light, and Levi grinned at Eren’s wide-eyed look of wonder. “Guess you know now, huh?” One pair rested under the frenulum, and another set pierced the skin at the base where Levi’s cock met his testicles.

He wanted to take his time, but  _ fuck _ he’d been wanting to taste Levi’s cock since the man had set foot inside his tattoo parlor. Eren figured he could go slow later. Taking Levi’s cock in his hand, he stroked it as Levi had done for him earlier, then brought it to his mouth, swirling the flat of his tongue around the tip. Levi’s cocky grin fell and he dropped his head back and let forth a loud moan, his hips jerking up to seek more.

_ Fuck I thought I was the sinner here. _ Levi rose back up on his elbows to get a better view of the brunet's lips wrapped around his cock. He’d been fantasizing about this very moment since accompanying Farlan to the meeting, but to have the object of his wet dreams between his thighs, nose buried in short strands as he took Levi’s impressive length without choking...Levi thrust his hips forward and began fucking Eren’s mouth, threading his fingers through Eren’s chocolate locks and holding him in place as he snapped his hips up, driving his cock into Eren’s throat for several thrusts before letting Eren take the reins again. After several minutes of sweet torture he pulled Eren back up to him, kissing him deeply and tasting a bit of himself on Eren’s tongue.

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s shoulders and pulled him up, positioning him back in his lap. He licked a stripe up his palm and wrapped his hand around both his and Levi’s cocks, adding to the thick saliva already coating Levi and stroking them together. Levi shuddered and added his hand to Eren's. He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on the other man, both panting harshly as they stroked themselves faster. Levi leaned back, thrusting into their hands, and Eren watched him, his chest rising as he gasped and moaned his pleasure. Eren hardened even more at the broken moans echoing in the room, and realized that he was adding to them as much as the raven-haired man on his lap was.

“Fuck, Eren. That. Keep doing that.” Levi’s voice was harsh, almost growling out the command as he thrust into their combined hands.

Levi started to close his eyes, but Eren gripped harder. “Levi. Look at me.” Levi’s eyes snapped open at the command, his gaze intense as he complied.

“Fuck. Fuck... _ Fuck.  _ I’m going to...gonna…” Levi’s hips lost their rhythm as his orgasm started to build, flowing from his core and rising.

“Yes, Levi. Come with me.” Eren grasped the back of Levi’s head and held his gaze with hooded eyes, foreheads touching as they stroked each other. “That’s it, baby. Look at me while you come. I want you to know it’s me making you feel this good.”

Levi groaned Eren’s name loudly and gripped his legs hard with his thighs, ropes of come shooting from him and painting Eren’s chest white before dripping over their intertwined fingers. Eren was only a second or two behind him, cursing loudly as the added slickness from Levi pushed him over the edge into his own orgasm.

They sat back, gasping for breath as they came down from their high, boneless and sated. “Holy fuck.” Eren nodded in agreement, not able to speak for the moment. Levi reached over for the box of tissues on the coffee table and took some for himself before handing the rest to Eren. They wiped themselves as clean as possible, then Eren pulled Levi in for a deep kiss.

As they pulled apart Levi couldn’t help but cringe at the drying tackiness on his hand and chest. The tissues had removed the majority of semen from their bodies, but all he could think of now was how soon he could ask Eren to leave without seeming rude. He must have shown something of his thought process on his face, or Eren was a mind reader, because the brunet chuckled to himself as he reached for his clothes.

“I don’t want seem like this is some kind of fuck and dump, but I could really use a shower and I don’t feel right asking to use yours.” He pulled on his clothes as Levi put on his own jeans.

“No, it’s fine, I completely understand.”

“Thanks.” The brunet smiled. “I had a wonderful time tonight, and I do want to see you again.” Eren’s turquoise eyes shone as he looked Levi up and down, then settled back on his face. “Call you?”

Levi blushed slightly, the eye-fuck he just got making his mind stutter. “Yeah.” He opened the door for Eren, but the other man pulled Levi to him and kissed him, hard and deep.

“See you later.” Levi nodded, surprised into silence, and waved to Eren as he left. He shut the door and turned the lock before leaning his naked back against the wood. “I’m so fucked.”


	7. Chapter 7

It was fully dark when Eren left, and no one would see him if he decided to fly home this one time instead of walking or taking public transportation. He wanted to be away from humanity for just a little while longer, reluctant to break the spell from being with Levi before he had to return to playing human.

He’d never met anyone like Levi. Sure, he’d played around with other male humans and had enjoyed their company, but this man made him feel something on a whole other level. Most people assumed the Grigori’s sin was mating with humans, but in reality it was that they created offspring with them. Same sex relationships were fine, and even opposite sex ones weren’t too frowned upon as long as they were careful. Those could be tricky to make last long term, since after the Fall of the Angels those relationships were closely scrutinized. The constant mistrust from the Watchers could be intrusive and most angel/human relationships failed from the strain. It was better in any case not to earn their notice. The Watchers were a loosely organized group of angels assigned to keep anything like the Fall happening again. They didn’t advertise who they were, but if you crossed a line they made one very aware of it. Eren had no intention of getting in their way anytime soon. He only knew of one definite Watcher, and that was Mikasa. She had been assigned to watch over and guide him when he first became an angel, and then later on when he ascended to Archangel status and became the Archangel Raphael. She mothered him at first, but once she saw that he wasn’t going to endanger humanity any time soon their relationship evolved into a mutual friendship.

Halfway home Eren perched on top of a skyscraper to take in the view of the city. It was gorgeous at night, the lights of the city almost appearing to be a reflection of the night sky. Something was bothering him in the back of his mind. Besides the fact that he couldn’t get the image of Levi naked underneath him out of his head, he kept coming back to the man’s tattoos. Sure, he was impressed by the level of skill his artist had and appreciated the high quality work, but that wasn’t quite it. _Something with the Aztec design specifically…_ He shook his head. No matter, it’d come to him eventually. His thoughts usually worked themselves out in the background while he was busy with other things.

He leaped into the air and spread his wings, gliding on the air current flowing past the building before banking and turning towards home. He needed to get some designs finished for clients, and wanted to use his good mood as motivation before it disappeared.

It wasn’t until halfway through his shower that he realized where he’d seen a tattoo very similar to Levi’s He jolted and almost slipped on the wet tile when the realization hit him. _Azazel._ The demon he’d been hunting for so long had a long blackwork sleeve much like the one that covered the pale left arm of his date.

He shook his head in silent negation. _It couldn’t be the same person. If Levi was actually Azazel he’d have sensed his demonic aura well before he got close enough to…_ Eren’s face flushed at the memory of having Levi in his lap, naked and keening for release. _Yeah, no way could Levi be a demon._

He toweled off after his shower, forgoing sleepwear in favor of sliding between cool sheets. One of the benefits of living alone was that he didn’t have to worry about a drunken roommate stumbling in, mistaking his door for the one to the bathroom by accident and discovering him in all his glory. Again.

Grabbing his sketchpad he looked over half-finished designs, adding to them and creating new ones as he worked well into the night. If a large part of them ran to blackwork themes, he wasn’t one to notice.

________

Levi was in the best mood he’d had for ages. Not only had his date a couple of days ago with Eren gone much better than he expected, but he had come across two Nephilim during that night’s hunt.

He’d just finished incapacitating the second one, a college aged man according to his driver’s license and university ID card tucked into the back of his wallet, when Levi’s phone buzzed. He reached into the pocket of his jeans and retrieved his phone while he held the unconscious man by his throat against a brick wall. The alley was well off the main road and deserted, so Levi decided it would be safe enough to check who would possibly want to reach him at this hour. He thumbed the screen and smirked when he recognized Eren’s number. Checking the Nephilim’s pulse to make sure he wasn’t going to die on him any time soon, he answered the call.

“Hey, Bright Eyes, you always call people at two am, or am I just special?”

“Nope, just up and thought you may keep the same hours I do. Looks like I’m right.” Levi could hear the breathlessness in the other man’s voice. _Great, it’s a booty call._

“Are you jacking yourself off right now? Because if you are - “

“What? No! I...went for a jog.”

“Mm hmmm.”

“Why? Were you hoping I was?” Levi could actually hear the shit-eating grin Eren wore, and a flush began to creep up his cheeks. A thump and a groan sounded from Eren’s end, and he could hear the brunet mutter something to himself.

“What was that?”

“Uh, nothing. I just...tripped.” Levi’s eyes narrowed. _Tripped, huh. Right._

“Well, sit down before you hurt yourself, for crying out loud. What possessed you to start working out in the middle of the night anyway?”

Before he could hear Eren’s reply the Nephilim he was still holding against the wall began to stir. _Shit._ He propped the phone in between his cheek and shoulder, then punched the kid in the temple to knock him back out. “Hey, can I call you right back? I need to take care of something real quick.”

“Sure. Actually, I do as well. Give me about five minutes or so.”

“Yeah, that should give you enough time to grab your tissues. Don’t let that shit dry on you, it’s harder to wash off if you wait.”

“Ha, ha. Funny man.” Levi heard the click and chuckled to himself. He let the Nephilim fall and bent over him. This one appeared to be more than half human, and the odds were good that he’d survive with a splitting headache and no memory of the night’s events. The demon swallowed the vapor rising from the Nephilim and stood, leaving the now-fully-human slumped against the wall. It wasn’t a filling meal, but it was one less abomination than before. Spreading his wings, Levi vacated the alleyway and headed home.

It took only several minutes before the demon reached the rooftop of his apartment building. Shifting back into his human form, he withdrew a key from his pocket, opening the access door and letting himself inside. He quietly made his way down several flights of stairs and through the outdoor hallway leading to his apartment. Most of the people living on his floor kept to themselves, but he didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks. Humans never seemed to do exactly what you wanted them to, and that included not accidentally coming across a demon just trying to get back home in one piece.

Levi locked the door and checked his phone. It had only been eight minutes since he’d hung up. Not bad for making it across town. Wings were a definite asset. _Now I can talk to the brat in peace. Fucking Nephilim almost gave me away back in that alley._

He pulled up Eren’s number from his history and pressed Send. It only rang twice before being answered.

“Hey. Good timing, I just walked through my door.”

“I’m awesome like that. Although I don't know many people who would run at this hour unless it was away from the police or an attacker.” He heard Eren laugh. It had an almost musical quality to it, bright and unrestrained. Levi decided he liked it.

“I keep odd hours. Nighttime is about the only time I consistently get to myself. Besides, I get time to think when I’m out here while humanity sleeps.” Levi found himself agreeing, even with the odd wording. Before he could comment on it Eren asked him a question.

“I missed that. Say again?”

“I said, you know why I’m up, what about you?” Levi froze. _Shit._

“Er, no reason. I don't normally sleep well. I only get about a couple of hours at most.”

“Makes sense. You look like the kind of guy who always has something on his mind.” _Heh, wasn't_ that _the truth._

“So, if you don't mind me asking, what do you do for a living?”

“I’m a freelance journalist. I can set my own hours, which is nice. I also invest in the stock market when I can, so I have a bit of freedom when it comes to taking assignments.” That was an understatement. He was a major shareholder in several cosmetics companies, as well as two weapons manufacturers. That plus royalties from several patents on military hardware upgrades left him with a tidy sum in several offshore bank accounts. The Demon figured since he’d gifted the human race with the knowledge of both he should at least profit from it. If he was going to suffer everlasting punishment, he could do it in style. The journalism was mainly a cover for when he traveled while hunting Nephilim.

He could hear the sound of some sort of material moving on the other end of the line and assumed Eren was getting ready to get into bed. “Are you not taking a shower after all that running? I like my men dirty, but not like _that_.”

“What? Oh, no, i was just shif - er, changing. You’re right, though, I need to wash up. Are you coming in with Farlan tomorrow?”

Levi arched an eyebrow at how distracted Eren was, but shrugged it off. “Of course. That big baby can’t handle needles. I’m halfway expecting to have to carry him through the front door so he doesn't back out at the last minute.”

Eren laughed again, that same musical quality charming Levi into almost laughing along with him. The sound caught in his throat, surprise at the feeling trapping it before it could escape. _That was unexpected._

“Right. Well, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Have fun.” Before Levi could respond Eren ended the call. Two seconds later a text came through. Levi thumbed open his messages and almost dropped his phone in surprise. A shirtless Eren stared back, towel wrapped low on his hips, barely decent. His left hand was holding up the phone, aiming it at the mirror. His other arm was tucked up over his head, the photo having caught Eren in the act of sheepishly rubbing the nape of his neck. It was clear that apart from the towel and the cheeky half-smile the brunet was otherwise nude.

Levi’s eyes traced the colorful designs on Eren’s throat, chest, and arms, remembering how they’d looked up close and personal only a few days ago. His mouth went dry as his gaze traveled south along his flat stomach, noting how far down he could see the thin line of hair on the other man’s lower abs before the towel blocked his view. He swallowed as he realized his cock was more than interested in the image before him, then laughed and shook his head when he read the caption. ‘Wouldn’t want to be the only one jacking off tonight ;)’ was written below the picture. _That cheeky little shit. Two can play this game._

Levi shucked off his boxers and shirt, then lay back on his bed. He angled his phone so that he could capture an image of himself shirtless, left hand reaching down for his own cock out of the frame, lips slightly parted and eyebrow arched towards the viewer in challenge. He typed out ‘Was that an invitation?’ and pressed Send.

Eren responded almost immediately. ‘Well played. Sweaty dreams, Levi.’

‘Good night, Bright Eyes.’

Levi set his phone on his nightstand, briefly considered following through on Eren’s suggestion, then decided the anticipation would make it all the more sweeter if he held off. _Good night, indeed._


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Look! I'm finally updating again!! Thank you to all of you who have patiently waited for updates! I'll try to get them in at least one a month. Enjoy!

Eren nervously bounced his leg as he sat on the stool behind the parlor’s reception desk. He’d finished up with his previous appointment fifteen minutes or so ago and now waited impatiently for Levi and Farlan to arrive. He almost leapt off the stool when the bell above the front door jingled, but slumped in disappointment when Petra’s strawberry blonde hair came into view.

The parlor’s owner gave him an odd look as she entered the waiting area, laden with office supplies and the remains of a late lunch. “ _ Someone’s _ excited.”

Eren huffed, irritation with himself seeping into his voice. “More like nervous as fuck. It’s that guy from last Thursday, the one that I designed the celtic symbol for, remember?” Petra nodded. “His friend said he was gonna come with him today.”

Realisation dawned on her face and she grinned. “Ohhh, so  _ Levi’s _ going to be here. No wonder you’re about to jump out of your skin.” 

Eren stuck his tongue out at her, and she stuck hers back at him. “Yeah. Just play it cool, ok? I kinda actually like this one.”

Petra shifted the bags in her arms to one side and patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry. You’re like my little brother. I wouldn’t do something like that to you.” 

He smiled, some of the nervous tension sliding away as he nodded. “I know. Here, let me help you put things away. I’m going crazy just sitting here waiting.” As he reached for the topmost bag the door chimed again.

Petra winked at him. “I’ll bet that’s your next appointment now. I’ve got this.” She shifted the bags in her arms again and whispered a ‘good luck’ as she disappeared into the back.

Levi stepped into the waiting area scowling, Farlan trailing a couple of steps behind him wearing a decidedly sheepish grin. “We’d have been here ten minutes ago, but this one had to get his balls to drop back down far enough to go through with this.” He jerked his thumb at his friend behind him, who glared at the back of Levi’s head. “Oi, don’t give me that look, you know it’s true.”

“How do you know  _ every _ \- you know what, nevermind. Let’s do this.” Farlan stepped around his friend, giving him a look, then faced Eren. His skin was a little pale, most likely from nerves, but it still concerned Eren.

The brunet pulled himself together, putting on a professional demeanor as he looked his client over, setting out a checklist to cover and get signed. “Before we get started, have you eaten in the past four hours? Do you need to get anything to drink or use the bathroom? If you start to feel nauseous or lightheaded make sure you tell me. Don’t force yourself to endure the sensation - we’ve got more than enough time if you want to take a break whenever.”

Farlan nodded. “Yeah, we stopped off on the way here. I’m ready when you are.”

“All right, scribble here and come on to the back. My workspace is all the way down on the right.” Eren held the curtain dividing the waiting area from the working area aside for the two of them, not missing the opportunity to grab Levi’s asscheek as he passed by, earning a silver-eyed wink in return.  _ Why was I even nervous? _ Remaining tension bled from his shoulders as he gestured for Farlan to take his shirt off and make himself comfortable on the padded table. 

Eren took the carbon stencils he had created of Farlan’s design from a folder and placed one ink-side-down onto his client’s shoulder. He blotted it with a wet paper towel to transfer the ink onto the skin and lifted the paper off, leaving an indigo blue outline of where the tattoo would eventually end up. He handed Farlan a mirror and held another one over him so his client could see the placement and confirm he was happy with the location. After Farlan indicated he was satisfied, Eren got to work setting out his inks and other supplies.

Levi took a chair for himself a little bit away from the workspace, close enough to where he could watch over Farlan, but not so close as to get in Eren’s way as he worked. He reached into the shopping bag he had brought with them and pulled out a couple of sodas and a straw. He popped the straw into one for Farlan and set it in front of him on the floor. “In case you start feeling lightheaded.” Farlan nodded, already concentrating on keeping himself calm and ignoring the buzzing of the tattoo needle over his shoulder. Levi snorted. “Don’t worry. You’ll be fine, shithead.” Farlan flashed him a weak smile in return and he sat back down, watching Eren as the artist began inking his friend’s skin.

Although he had primarily come along to support Farlan, Levi wasn’t going to lie to himself and say that was the only reason he’d shown up. He wanted to see Eren in his natural habitat, so to speak. At least, see him outside of a bedroom.  _ Shit, we didn’t even make it that far. We barely made it to the fucking couch. _ Levi flushed a little at the memories. He’d replayed them over and over in his mind, trying to figure out just what it was about Eren that made him want more than a one night stand. All he’d gotten out of the mental gymnastics was frustration and several knee-weakening orgasms in his shower. Even now his mind started wandering to the tattoos decorating the soft skin he knew lay underneath the artist’s shirt. He quickly jerked his mind away, distracting himself by looking at the various posters, artwork, and health and safety signage decorating the walls, pointedly  _ not _ looking in the direction of Eren’s workspace.

He heard Farlan grunt and turned back around. Eren had pulled away to refill the needle with ink, and Farlan was trying to reach his soda. Levi stepped forward to hand it to him, holding the straw so that his friend could sip from it without having to shift position on the table. 

“How are you holding up?” Levi sat the soda back down within easy reach of Farlan’s grasp.

“It’s not too bad, actually. The shading is actually pleasant, like a shoulder massage.”

Levi nodded. “Yeah, it’s the outlining that’s the worst bit. Single needle versus multiple ones.”

Farlan gave Levi a dirty look. It took him a minute to figure out what the look was for, then mentally slapped his forehead. “Shit, needles. Forget I said that.” He leaned over his friend to check the progress. The outline of the intricate knots was already completed, and Eren had finished almost a third of the shading and details before they took the break. He glanced up and caught Eren staring at him, waiting on his verdict. “It looks great. Even better than I thought it would.” 

Eren broke out into a wide grin, a blush from the praise staining his cheekbones a slight pink. “Wait until it’s finished. If I don’t blow your mind then, I’ll take you to dinner.”

Levi raised his eyebrow. “And if my mind  _ is _ blown…?” 

Eren’s grin turned slightly lascivious, and he winked. “Then you get dessert, too.” 

Before Levi could think of anything to say, Farlan mumbled “More like get a room.” He chuckled and raised his middle finger to his friend, taking that as his cue to sit back down and let Eren get on with his work. Not that Levi was complaining; he got to continue watching Eren in all his tattoo-artist glory. He discovered that Eren poked the tip of his tongue out slightly when he was concentrating on difficult parts of the design, and then discovered he found that adorable. He’d never found anything adorable about a human before. It was a wholly new experience, and Levi wasn’t sure if it was Eren or the feeling itself that he found more fascinating. He’d always been a people-watcher, but it was more like being a visitor at a zoo than anything else. It was as if he’d suddenly found one of the monkeys in the exhibit attractive.  _ Well, maybe not THAT ridiculous _ , he thought to himself.  _ At least with humans we’re compatible species. _ With that thought, he was reminded of why he was in the human realm to begin with. He shook his head at himself, suddenly disgusted at his train of thought.  _ Fuck, mating with ‘God’s chosen’ was how we all got into this Nephalem mess in the first damned place. We should have just kept our dicks to ourselves. _

“What’s wrong?” Levi looked up, startled. He’d been so lost in his self loathing that he hadn’t realised that Eren had finished Farlan’s tattoo. His friend was sitting on the bench as Eren placed cling film over the new design. Farlan had caught him scowling into thin air. 

Levi ran his hands down his face in an attempt to pass off his mood as exhaustion. “Nothing, just thinking of work.”

Farlan nodded his head. “ I gotcha. They gonna send you back out in the field?”

Levi snorted. “They can’t  _ send _ me, since I don’t work for them directly. It may be worth my time, though. I’ll have to see.”  _ It depends on if I can get my head screwed on straight around this brat, really.  _

Said brat was watching the two of them, waiting patiently until they were done talking to hand Farlan his shirt. “Okay, you’re all set. Keep the cling film on for a bit, then once you take it off let the tattoo heal. Don’t bandage it up, and keep it moisturised with this.” Eren handed Farlan a small pot of what looked like medicated lip balm. “It’s specifically designed to help your tattoo heal. Keep it on there until the dry skin comes off, and  _ leave the peeling skin alone _ . Got it?” 

“Don’t worry, I won’t let him fuck up your masterpiece. I’ll meet you out there in a few.” Farlan took the hint and left Eren and Levi by themselves.

Eren grinned at him. “So, what do you think? Good enough for a three-course meal?” Underneath the cockiness Levi could sense the genuine search for approval. He was a little surprised; Eren’s art was clearly impressive.

“I’d say so. But you already know you do good work.”

Eren shrugged, one shoulder raising as he looked to the side. “Yeah, but it’s nice to hear sometimes.” He looked back into Levi’s gaze and smiled softly. “Thanks.” 

Levi stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Eren’s waist and pulled him closer for a kiss. It was only meant to be a moment of reassurance, but it soon turned heated. Eren picked him up and set him on the recently-vacated table and stepped between his thighs, pressing his rapidly hardening cock against Levi’s own. “You know...” mumbled Eren, as he broke away from their kiss, “we could have dessert first and dinner later.” He trailed his hands down Levi’s sides, grabbing both cheeks and pulling Levi flush against him. 

Levi rolled his hips slightly, enjoying the friction for a moment before responding. “We could, but I didn’t come here alone.”

Eren sighed and stepped back, reluctantly putting a inch or two of distance between them. “I know, I know. The things I would do to you on this table though.”

“Oh, I can imagine.” Levi smirked as he pushed Eren back lightly, making room for himself to hop down. He grabbed Eren’s hand and pulled it to his crotch. “Believe me, I can imagine.” 

A shudder of lust filled Eren, and he breathed in deep as he pulled his hand away. “Fuck. Damnit. Right, I gotta be professional. I don’t want to, but I’m pretty sure ‘fucking on the floor of the parlour’ is one of those things Petra frowns upon.” He started walking towards the waiting area, holding a hand out to Levi. “Coming?”

Levi was momentarily stunned by the gesture, then took Eren’s hand. It was something he hadn’t expected, that moment of actual affection, and he wasn’t sure quite what to do with it. Once he laced his fingers with Eren’s though, he discovered a third thing. He  _ liked _ it. 

Farlan was waiting for the two of them at the reception desk. He handed Eren the money for the tattoo. “Thanks again, Eren. I absolutely love the design! I can’t wait to show it off properly. Isabel is gonna love it!”

“Hey, no problem. If you need any touch ups in the coming year, let me know and I’ll do them for free.”

“Will do!” He turned to Levi. “Ready to go?”

“I guess. Call me later?” The last part was directed at Eren, who grinned and nodded, then kissed Levi’s cheek.

“You know it.”

The two men made their way to the front door, Levi giving him a backwards wave as they left. As soon as the door closed, Petra stepped out of the back room. “How’d it go?”

“Really, really well.”

“Good! Oh, and yes. We do generally frown upon having sex on the parlour floor.” All Eren could do was blush as Petra laughed. 


End file.
